ShotGun Wedding
by Mako-clb
Summary: What happens when Allura has to find a husband, and fast, or she might have to marry her worst enemy? PG just to be safe.


Disclaimer: None of the Voltron force or the inhabitants of planet Arus or planet Doom belong to me.

Author's Note: This is a work in progress. I haven't written any other chapters and I'm not sure I plan to. It's not that I'm begging for reviews, it's just that I'm not sure I've captured the personalities of the characters well enough. It's been a long time since I've seen Voltron. So, please do let me know what you think, if only so I know how badly I've butchered the Voltron universe.

**Shot-Gun Wedding: A Voltron Fanfic**  
by Corina "Mako" Borsuk

The moment the alarm sounded, reverberating through the castle walls in an all too familiar way, four young men dropped what they were doing and raced for the main control room.

The four were members of the Voltron Force. As a team, along with one other, they operated the Voltron Lions that defended this castle as well as the entire planet Arus. Each of the Voltron force operated a specific Lion, and each Lion had a specific domain.

Pidge, the youngest and shortest of the group, operated the Green Lion, located in the forest near the castle. Hunk, the comedian, whose large mass hid a well-muscled physique, operated the Orange Lion, situated in the heart of a volcano. Keith, as the leader of the Voltron Force operated the Black Lion, which was part of the castle itself. When the need arose, as it too often did, the Voltron Force could not only fight as a team, but they could literally become one by joining all five Lions together and forming the giant Voltron.

As Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and Keith arrived at the control room they were met by the palace advisor and Princess Allura, the reigning sovereign of Planet Eris. To the members of the Voltron Force, Allura was much more than just their princess, she was also their friend and the fifth member of the team, the pilot of the Blue Lion.

"What's the problem, Coran," Keith asked, although he was fairly sure he could guess what the problem was. Generally, the danger faced by Keith and his teammates, in fact, the very reason the Voltron Force was needed. Could be traced back to one place and to a handful of people. Chief among these were Lotor, prince of Planet Doom, and the witch who advised him, Hagarth.

"It's Lotor," Coran said. But before he could continue, Lance interrupted him.

"We should have known! So is it another Robeast, or maybe two this time?" Lance complained, echoing Keith's earlier thought on the situation.

"No, it's not another Robeast, at least not that we can detect," Coran replied impatiently stylishly annoyed of the interruption. "Lotor contacted us via communicator a few moments ago. He is requested that the Princess and all of you be present for what he claims is an important announcement. According to Lotor, whatever it is he has to say will bring peace for Planet Arus."

"Hey, maybe he wants to surrender to us, and I'm about to become the richest, most powerful man in the universe," Lance replied in a tone that made it clear he didn't expect either of these statements to be true anytime soon.

"All of you, please I don't know why Lotor contacted us, but if there is even a chance that this could mean peace for Planet Arus and safety for my people, we have to hear him out. So, please, be on your best behavior." Although spoken kindly and without force, Princess Allura's words were almost like a command. For although the princess rarely gave orders to her friends and teammates, or anyone for that matter, everyone in the room knew how important the safely and prosperity of planet Arus was to Allura. If she wanted them to be polite to their enemy, then they would be, for her sake and the sake of the planet they protected.

Taking Princess Allura's statement and the ensuing silence to mean that everyone was ready, Coran swivelled his seat around so he was facing the communication monitor instead of the young people standing around him. Taking a deep breath to prepare himself for whatever demand or deception Lotor's announcement might bring and, at the same time, sending out a silent, desperate plea to whatever spirit or entity would listen that this truly would be the end of conflict for his home world, Coran pressed the button that would return the two-way communication link between the castle and Lotor. As soon as Lotor's face filled the screen Coran knew that this would not be a time of peace or salvation for his planet. The sneering, contempt-filled face that stared out at him through the monitor was that of a man who believed he had finally and completely beaten his enemy. If there was any hope left in Coran that this conversation could result in anything good for anyone but Lotor himself, it was shattered when Lotor spoke. The forced politeness in his voice did little to hide the seductively gleeful tone underneath.

"I see you could all make it. I'm glad, since I want to share this wonderful news with everyone." Lotor went silent for a moment, gazing at each member of his audience as best he could through the monitor. Taking a deep breathe before he continuing, he proudly proclaimed, "I take great pleasure in officially announcing my engagement to Princess Allura."

A shocked silence followed the unexpected announcement, but it was broken when Allura, regaining her senses, demanded, "How can you say that? I never agreed to marry you, and I never will." From behind her, Allura heard the voices of her friends rise up in support, loudly, if not coherently, protesting Lotor's announcement. She wanted to thank them for standing by her once more, but instead she stood proudly, facing Lotor on the monitor, repeating with her unwavering stare the statement she had already voiced, that she would not marry him.

"Ah, but you have no choice my dear," Lotor replied calmly.

Disgusted by the entire conversation, Keith stepped forward to stand beside the princess. "If you think you can force the princess to marry you, you're wrong. If you want her, you'll have to go through me!" A chorus of voices proclaimed "Me too" as the rest of the Voltron Force stepped protectively closer to the princess, as if fearing that Lotor could somehow reach out through the view screen and snatch Allura away.

"There's no need for such melodrama. I have no intension of harming the princess, not when her father has already arranged the marriage." Lotor replied in that calm and falsely sweet voice.

"I'm afraid I need to end this conversation, as I have quiet a few things to attend to before our wedding, Princess. But, before I go, I'm sure you'll wish to see this." Slowly, Lotor's face was replaced by the image of a sheet of paper bearing the title 'Terms for Treaty.' I'm sure you will also want to know that as of yesterday, I was officially adapted as a nephew to King Primus of Planet Trojan." With that final statement, the communication was terminated.

"Who in the world does that madman think he is? As if he would ever be good enough to marry the princess. Ha!" At the sound of her voice, everyone turned to see Nanny standing in the doorway, arms folded across her cheat, looking very indignant at even the thought that Lotor would consider himself worthy of marrying her princess.

Reluctantly, Coran answered Nanny's rhetorical question with a truth none of them would want to hear. "Worthy or not, Lotor may have a valid claim as Princess Allura's future husband."

"You can't be serious?" Keith asked.

"I'm afraid I am."

"But, what Lotor said can't be true. Father would never have arranged a marriage between me and that, that monster. He just wouldn't."

"Of course not, but he did arrange a marriage between you and a son or nephew of King Primus."

Allura took a deep breath before speaking again. She needed to stay clam. Coran and Nanny had told her many times that the best way to understand a problem and find a solution was to remain calm and think it through rationally.

"I expect a full explanation, Coran."

"Of course, Princess. You see, to solidify the alliance between Arus and Trojan, your father and King Primus arranged a marriage between you and Prince Troy. At the time, you were only a few months old and Prince Troy was about five. So, taking into account that there was a considerable chance that in the future either of you might find someone else you wished to marry, your father and King Primus made several stipulations to the marriage."

"First, Allura could marry either Prince Troy or any nephews King Primus might one day have. This was so if Allura and Troy did not get along, the alliance could be maintained. Second, neither would be forced to marry until Allura was at least 18 unless they wished it. And third, if Allura married for love prior to turning 18, the engagement would be nullified, but the alliance remain intact."

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner, Coran?"

"I'm sorry, Princess, but I thought it was unnecessary. When Prince Troy married two years ago, and with Primus having no nephews, I assumed the engagement broken."

"But, now that Lotor, the slime ball, is legally Primus's nephew, the Princess will half to marry him." Hunk stated unnecessarily.

"That's not true, Hunk," Allura replied reluctantly. "I may have to get married, but not to Lotor. I don't turn 18 for another six weeks. All I have to do is marry someone else before then."

Although Allura's solution was certainly the most logical, and possibly the only one, she wasn't much happier about it then the prospect of marrying Lotor himself. When Coran and Nanny had conspired to find Allura a suitor, she had been adamant that she was not ready to marry anyone yet. She had finally convinced them that she needed to focus her energy on protecting people from the menace of planet Doom, and that she needed time to find someone she truly loved.

Unfortunately, those arguments were pointless now. She had to marry to protect her people, and she didn't have time to marry for love. Allura was willing to die for the people of planet Arus, but she wasn't ready for this. Lowering her head so her friends wouldn't see the tears in her eyes, the princess of Arus resigned herself to a life lived entirely for others, and not herself.

"Coran, Nanny, we'll met in one hour to discuss my options." Allura said quietly as she began to walk out of the Comm room.

Not seeming to notice Allura's unstated desire for some time alone, Nanny started in excitedly, "But Princess, we should start right away. There is so much to do. We need to select a proper husband. Perhaps that handsome Prince Kray or Duke Trowan?"

Turning swiftly in Nanny's direction, Allura snapped, "One hour, and not before."

Pidge, concerned by her uncharacteristic harshness, took a step toward her. "Princess?"

"I'm sorry," she replied, eyes and voice once again downcast. "I just need to do something first. I promise, Nanny, in one hour, we'll discuss my future hus..." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "My future."

As the others watched in silence, Princess Allura left the communication room for her own quarters. And once there, she wept for the loss of what little freedom she thought she had in life.

  


End Part 1


End file.
